PREP BASKETBALL COMES TO A CLOSE

The Wilson County prep basketball season came to a screeching halt earlier this week as the boys teams from Wilson Central and Friendship Christian were ousted in their respective regional tournaments.

HENDERSONVILLE -- Sophomore guard Jeremy Purvis drilled four 3-pointers in the second quarter and turned a close game into a rout as Northeast thumped Wilson Central 56-31 Tuesday in the Region 5-AAA semifinals at Hendersonville High School.

Purvis finished with a game-high 16 points, leading Northeast past the team that ended its season last year in the region semis.

The Eagles (25-5) will face Beech -- who crushed Springfield, 52-39, in Tuesday’s other semifinal game -- at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Wilson Central (17-11) never found an offensive groove, scoring no more than nine points in any quarter in the team’s worst offensive output of the season.

Kelten Stewart led Central with 10 points and Jarvis Jenkins added eight.

WATERTOWN -- Hot-shooting Clarkrange overcame an early 17-8 Friendship Christian lead and came away with a 59-51 victory over the Commanders in the Region 4A semifinals Tuesday at Watertown High.

The Buffaloes (19-13) advacne to Thursday’s 7 p.m. regional finals against Clay County -- a 61-44 winner over Jackson County earlier Tuesday.

Brandon Upchurch led Clarkrange with 22 points while Jake Alderman added 13.

Friendship Christian was led by Lee Maasen with 26 points, Parker Teeter added 13 and Hardie Sorrels 10.

The Commanders closed the book on the season with a 26-4 overall record.